Follow-up

Gaia Science Alerts Follow-up Server

We are currently testing a facility which allows uniform calibration of the photometric follow-up observations of alerts reported by SkyAlert.org.

Here is the presentation about it: Presentation

Here is the documentation on the Cambridge Photometry Calibration Server

If you plan to perform any photometric follow-up observations of the alerts available at SkyAlert.org and you would like to use our service, please contact Lukasz Wyrzykowski for password. When contacting us please provide us also with your observatory name, longitude and latitude and available filters.

Useful links for observers willing to do follow-up observations for Gaia:

• astrometry.net - online service providing astrometric WCS solution for any image
• astromatic.net - collection of useful astro-software, including Sextractor

Preliminary minimal requirements on the photometric and spectroscopic follow-up of Gaia Alerts

Photometry:

• multi-band photometry, at least two bands (e.g. V,I), Sloan ugriz preferred
• flux calibration no worse than 10% (0.1 mag)
• WCS and fluxes (from, e.g., Sextractor) submitted to the Calibration Server
• availability of flux measurements within 24 hours

Spectroscopy:

• spectral range minimal: 4500-7000A
• signal to noise > 20 all over the range above
• resolution R > 150
• lambda calibrations better -+ 3A
• relative flux calibrations better -+10%
• absolute flux calibrations: none
• availability of reduced spectra within less than 24h

Coordination of follow-up spectroscopy and photometry

There is a new page discussing strategy, schedules, observing rotas and an observing guide: here